Random code tape perforator



Dec. 10, 1946. J. A. SPENCER 2,412,301

RANDOM CODE TAPE PERFORATOR Tlczl Filed July 23, 1942 DAM-g; 007'- h-(AI/001:) Sm: -i.

INVENTOR JAMES A. SPENCER.

Patented 10, 1946 urrs as 2,412,301 RANDOM com: TAPE ranroaa'ron JamesA. Spencer,

Radio Corporation of Delaware Teaneck', N. J., asslgnor to America, acorporation of Application July 23,1942, Serial No. 452,030

This invention relates to telegraph tape perforators and hasparticularly to do with a device of this character which enablescryptographic tapes to be perforated with random trains of code signals.

In certain telegraphic secrecy devices, the marking and spacing elementsof the code signals which are used for the transmission of intelligenceare required to be transposed in a random manner so as to render thetransmitted signals unintelligible when intercepted at an unauthorizedreceiving station. The signals can, however, be deciphered byretransposition at an authorized receiving station, use being made of Ia deciphering tape which is an exact replica of the enciphering tapeused at the transmitting station.

A device for preparing duplicate tapes for use in cryptographictelegraphy is disclosed irr my copending application Serial No. 451,878,filed July 22, 1942. In that application, however, the

Claims. (Cl. 164-114) 23 which bears against the profiles 2| on eachthree diflerentdiameters are placed in a hopper l and fed through a tubeI2 to a platform I.

This platform is mounted on onearm of a bell crank 31 which is fulcrumedat H. The opposite arm of this bell crank is provided with a roller ofthree levers a, b, and 0. These levers a, b, and c are fulcrumed at l8and are urged to move upward by springs 45. Pivoted at the free endsfingers duplicate tapesare made-in accordance with a previously preparedmaster tape.

It is sometimes desirable that duplicate tapes be prepared with a randomarrangement of marking and spacing code signal perforations withoutresorting to the use of a master tape. It is a prime object of myinvention, therefore, to provide suitable tape perforating apparatuswhereby duplicate cryptographic tapes may be prepared with a randomtrain of signals perforated therein.

It'is another object of my invention to provide a, device forconveniently and automatically perforating coding and decoding tapes induplicate for subsequent use at two stations which are to send andreceive messages by means of cryptographic telegraphy.

In carrying out my objects,I provide a device which is arranged toperforate a series of random dots, dashes, and spaces in accordance witha random feed of metal balls of three different diameters into acontrolling position at the outlet of a hopper containing a plurality ofsuch balls.

My invention will now be described in full detail, reference being madeto the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows schematically an elevation view of essential partscomprised in a tape perforator of the class indicated in the foregoingpreamble,

and

Figs. 2 and 3 show certain details of lever construction necessary toindicate the selective actuation of different punches in response tocontrol by balls of different diameters.

A number of balls, preferably of steel, and of 5 platform I, This partof the of the levers a, b, and c are selector fingers d, e, and j whichextend upwardly through channels existing in a punch hammer 4. Wheneverthe d, e, and f are lifted by levers a, b, and '0 respectively, aspermitted by the actuation of the bell crank 31, then the upper ends ofsaid fingers are caused to confront certain projections 5 on a series ofpunch levers 3, which are individually labeled g, h, and i.

The punch levers 3 are suitably arranged for actuating code punches andfeed hole punches which are held in place by punch blocks 38, 39 andcooperate with a die member 2. This die member has a gatewaytherethrough for feeding a plurality-of tapes to be perforated.

The perforator is automatically driven by a motor (not shown) connectedto a shaft 40 on which is mounted a cam 8. In cooperation with the camis a follower roller 9 journaled in bearings on the hammer 4. Pivoted atthe top end of the hammer 4 is afeed plunger 6 which extends beneath thetube l2. As the cam 8 rotates and drives the hammer 4 to the leftagainst the tension of spring I4, the feed plunger 6 is withdrawnsuiliciently to permit a single ball to drop on to the platform 1. Thissame movement thrusts the end of one of the levers d, e, or f againstpro jection 5 on one of the levers 3 and this drives the selected punchpins through the tape or tapes inserted in the die member 2.

As the cam 8 continues to rotate, hammer 4 moves to the right under theinfluence of spring Hi. The plunger 6 urges the ball to the right handand of the platform I, where it drops over a ledge la, the latterserving to prevent balls from rolling to the left under the weight ofthe vertical column of used balls in the return tube 22. I

The platform I is urged upward by a spring It, so that the diameter ofthe entrapped ball determines the angular position of roller 23. Thedepressions 2| existing on levers a, b, and c are so located that theycoincide with the angular dis placement of roller 23 in consequence ofthe passing of balls of different diameters over the device constitutesThe punch assembly consisting of punch blocks l8 and 39, die member 2,and associated punches is conventional and need only be described herewith sufiicient particularity to indicate that a dash signal may bepunched in the tape when lever d is actuated; a dot signal may bepunched when lever e is actuated; and a space signalis punched whenlever f is actuated.

The levers -g, h, and 2' (looking at them from the nearest to thefurthest in Fig. 1) are arranged to cooperate with seven pistons asfollows: The front lever g is actuated when its corresponding finger dis lifted and is engaged with projection 5 by a movement to the left ofthe hammer punch lever 4 under control of the cam 8 when rotatingagainst the roller 9. Lever g is aligned with three pistons Sid, 54, and55. Piston 5ld is horizontally offset from the upper punch in position5| and actuates the same as part of the dash signal. Piston 54 controlsthe punching of the two center holes at positions 52 and 54. Piston 55is coaxial with its punch on the bottom row and completes the punchingof the code signal for a dash. The dash signal is, therefore, formed bycode perforations which are offset in the two vertical rows. Automaticmechanism is provided for feeding the tape two spaces.

In response to the lifting of the middle finger e, the code signal for adot is punched by actuation .d into cooperative relation with projectionI on of the punch lever 71.. The punches thus controlled are in avertical column and include those coaxially disposed with respect to thepistons SI, 52, and 53. The dot signal occupies one space linearly ofthe tape; therefore, the tape is fed automatically by one space.

When the selector finger f is lifted and engaged with projection 5 onpunch lever i, this lever coacts with a piston 52s and thereby operatesa single center hole punch in position 52. The tape is thereafter fedone space.

For further details of the preferred construction which I have adopted,reference is made to a publication entitled, Printing Telegraph Systemsand Mechanisms under the authorship of H. H. Harrison, a publication ofLongmans, Green and Co. A tape perforator suitable for punching Morsecode signals is illustrated in Fig. 161 on page 162 of that book.

The operation of my improved perforator may be best understood byconsidering the efiects produced in measuring balls of differentdiameters as follows: Consider that one of the smallest balls A is onthe platform 1, then roller 23 is moved furthest to the left and holdslevers a and b depressed; Lever c rises under the influence of spring l5and finger f is then moved upward so that its free end is opposed to thelug 5 on the rear punch lever i. This punch lever engages with piston52s for actuating one of the small feed hole punches at position 52. Thehammer 4 is driven to the left by the rotating cam 8 and delivers thepunching stroke.

Consider now that the ball resting on the platform 1 is of medium sizeas shown at B. The roller 23 then holds down levers a and c so that onlyone of the fingers, namely, finger E has its upper end lifted to thelever of projection 5 on the middle punch lever 71.. This middle punchlever acts upon three pistons II, 52, and 52 each of which is axiallyaligned with one of the punches for punching the dot signal in the tape.

The largestof the balls, such as ball C, when its diameter platform 1,causes the roller 23 to be moved furthest to the right. In this positionlevers b and c are held down while lever a lifts its finger the frontpunch lever g. This punch lever acting upon pistons SM, 54, and 55causes two center holes and off-set upper and lower'vholes to bepunched. The combination of punches so selected corresponds with a dashsignal.

The tape feeding device which is required as a part of the completestructure is of conventional design and has not been here illustrated,since it forms no part of my invention. Furthermore, such a tape feedingdevice is also described in the aforementioned book by H. H. Harrison.

It will be understood that, as a simple mechanical modification of myinvention, means may be provided for agitating or otherwise stirring theballs in the hopper I. Such means may either be motor driven or manuallyactuated, and its utilization is entirely optional. For the sake ofillustration an agitator is shown in Fig, 1 as comprising a rotatablespindle 6| centered coaxially with respect to the outlet tube l2 andhaving a dasher 62 projecting horizontally from the spindle. The use ofan agitator may be found to introduce an additional factor of chanceinto the random selection of balls of difierent diameters to besuccessively dropped through the tube l2.

To those skilled in the art, it will be apparent that variousmodifications of my invention may be made without departing from thespirit thereof. The scope of the claims is not, therefore, limited tothe precise in shown and described.

I claim:

1. A cryptographic tape perforator comprising a punch-and-die assemblyhaving code character punches and feed-hole punches, selective means foractuating said punches singly and in predetermined combinations,mechanism operable in continuous cycles for applying power to selectedones of said punches, and selective means cyclically operable forcausing said punches to be selected in a random and unpredictablemanner.

2. A perforator according to claim 1 and including punch striker membersin said selective means, one of said members being arranged, whenselected, to cause the sole operation of one of said feed hole punches.

3. A perforator according to claim 1 and including punch striker membersin said selective means, one of said members being arranged, whenselected, to cause the simultaneous operation of one of said feed-holepunches with two of said code character punches in transverse alignmenttherewith.

4. A perforator according to claim 1 and including punch striker membersin said selective means, one of said members being arranged, whenselected, to cause the simultaneous operation of two feed-hole punchesand two code character punches, the latter being obliquely disposed withrespect to the direction of tape feed through said perforator.

5. The method of preparing a plurality of'idendetails of constructionhereing, where code perforations are to .be punched in said tapes in arandom train determined by a chance arrangement of balls of differentdiameters fed successively into a calipering position, said methodcomprising feeding said tapes simultaneously through a punchingposition, causing said balls as they reach said calipering position tobe graded according to their diameters, causing a single perforation of"space significance to be punched in each of said tapes in response tothe calipering of a ball of one diameter, causing code perforations of"dot significance together with one feed-hole to be punched in each ofsaid tapes in response to the calipering of a ball of a second diameter,and causing code perforations of dash significance, together with twofeed holes, to be punched in each of said tapes in response to thecalipering of a ball of a third diameter.

6. The method of utilizing balls of different diameters to determine arandom arrangement of code perforations which are required to be punchedin an identical manner in two telegraph tapes, one for enciphering andthe other for deciphering cryptographic messages, said method comprisingejecting said balls successively from a position of storage, caliperingeach of said balls successively, causing said tapes to be perforatedwith code perforations having dot and dash signiflcance, also with feedholes having spacing signiflcance, performing said perforatingoperations cyclically as each successive ball is calipered, andcharacterizing each perforating operation as a function of the balldiameter.

"l. A system for punching two telegraph tapes in an identical manner andwith code perfora- 6 tions having a random arrangement such that onetape is useful for enciphering and the other tape for decipheringcryptographic messages, said systern comprising a hopper containingballs of three different diameters, an outlet tube connected to thebottom of said hopper, a calipering device. reciprocable means forcausing the successive flow of balls from said outlet tube into aposition where they are subjected to the operation of said caliperingdevice, a code tape perforator having a punch-and-die assembly thepunches of which are arranged to operate upon at least two Juxta-- posedtapes simultaneously, means for performing each perforating operation sothat it has one of three characteristics, namely, to designate a dot,

a dash, or a space, and a selective mechanism linking the operation ofsaid calipering device to the operation of the last said means, wherebythe sequence of dots, dashes, and spaces punched in the tapes conformsto the random order in which balls of different diameter are calipered.

8. A system according to claim 7 and including means for returning saidballs to said hopper after they have been calipered.

9. A system according to claim 7 and including a constantly rotatablecam operating against a cam follower the bearings whereof arelever-supported, said cam and cam follower being comprised in means foractuating said reciprocable means.

10. A system according to claim 7 and including a constantly rotatablecam operating against a cam follower the bearings whereof arelever-supported, said cam and cam follower being comprised in means foractuating said code tape perforator.

JAMES A. SPENCER.

